Marketing Your Business -- The Line Between Effective and Annoying

Click here to listen... In marketing your business, there's a line *out there* between what's effective for your ideal clients and what's just plain annoying.

That line is different for every one of your ideal clients and for every business owner (even in the same industry).

I recently heard a very successful business owner say "These days you have to market your heart out and I'm going to hammer my list with. . ." and the name of the latest program.

While I agree that you do need to market your business, and do so effectively, I completely disagree with "hammering" people, even knowing the business owner above meant it in the sense of sending tons of promotional emails.

There is a point where your marketing becomes annoying and not worth the benefit your readers otherwise receive.

So how do you know when you're getting close?

1. Are you seeing more "unsubscribes" than usual?
2. Are clients leaving your membership programs -- while this absolutely relates to the quality of the program and your relationship with members, it also relates to your client's overall perception of how you do business. I've left good programs simply because I didn't like the way someone marketed their business.
3. Are you out of integrity somewhere with what you say versus what you do -- are you walking your talk?

These are all signs that you're getting close to "that" line.

Keep in mind however, that as long as you're providing valuable content in your communications with your readers -- ezine articles, blog posts, tips and strategies or resources they can use in their business, etc. -- the "price" of all that f.r.e.e. information is that you will also share info about your programs, products and services.

It essentially comes down to two things:

• you CONSISTENTLY providing ENOUGH valuable content so that even if your latest product or service isn't right for your reader, they stay on because another product or service may be just what they're looking for and
• you remember the adage "Do unto others. . ." when it comes to how much promotion you're sending out.

Make It Real: My Request to You

I mention above that there's a point where promotion exceeds other benefits to your readers -- it's important to remember that this point is:

1. defined by your readers, not you and
2. different for everyone

Your responsibility is to decide what's appropriate for you, in your business and then "live up" to that responsibility.

One way to promote your products, programs and services without overwhelming your readers is to mix up the media. Include some:

• email promotions
• blog posts
• video and audio snippets
• direct mail
• fax and voice broadcasts (be sure you're in compliance with the law)

By mixing up the media, you have a great chance of getting through all the *noise* out there without overwhelming or annoying your ideal clients.

And the best part?

Once you create a plan, dare I say it. . .a SYSTEM, for the above, you simply have to follow the steps for each promotion.

Remember, this is about making and keeping it simple. . .

Sandra Martini shows self-employed business owners how to get more clients by implementing processes and systems to put their marketing on autopilot. . Visit Sandra at http://www.SandraMartini.com for details, and her free audio series “5 Simple and Easy Steps to Put Your Marketing on Autopilot

© 2002-2010 Sandra P. Martini. All Rights Reserved

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